Squire Squabbles
by blackbanditt
Summary: Kel's first year as a Squire, but no one is picking her. And she runs into trouble when her brother comes to court.


Note: I wrote this a year or so ago, so please be nice! 

~*~*~

Squire Squabbles

Keladry of Mindelan was performing a complicated pattern dance in the early morning when a loud knock came against the door to her room. "Lalassa, could you please get that for me," she gasped out between moves. Her maid, Lalassa, walked to the door and admitted a tall young man with brown hair and eyes. "Hey, Kel, can I talk to you for a moment, please?" he requested in a quiet voice. Kel looked up, surprised, and stopped immediately. Her older friend was not normally so serious. 

"What is it, Neal?" she queried. 

"It's a bit personal," Nealan of Queenscove suggested, nodding at Lalassa. 

"Umm, sure I guess. Lalassa, could you please go fetch me some new armor cleaner from town? I'm running a bit short." 

Lalassa narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Neal, before nodding and gathering her cloak to head out. "Yes, Miss." she said slowly as she trudged out the door. 

"Now, Neal, this better be important. You interrupted a pattern dance, and I need to do them to keep in shape." she reprimanded reproachfully. 

"Kel, I promise, it is." he assured her quickly. He sighed gustily, before beginning, "Look Kel, have you ever thought about who is going to be your master now that you're a squire?" 

"Oh no, Neal. Just every minute of the day." she stated sarcastically. 

"Well, what did you decide?" he asked gently. 

"The only person in the entire country of Tortall even a tiny bit likely to pick me is the Lioness," she said softly. 

He sighed again. "I'm sorry Kel, but...I have something I have to tell you?" 

Kel gulped and asked warily, "What?" 

"She's asked me to be her squire." Neal said quickly. 

"What? Who? The LIONESS?" she asked in confusion. "But, But, What about me?" 

Neal patted her arm awkwardly, which she shrugged off. "I'm sorry Neal, but I really have to finish that pattern dance. I'll see you at lunch, perhaps." she declared as she effectively pushed him out the door. 

"But, but, KEL! We have to talk!" Neal sputtered. 

"Good Day!" she emphasized as she slammed the door shut. 

Kel burst into tears as she leaned against the cool stone wall in her bedroom. She was the only girl training to be a knight at the palace, and sometimes it seemed as if she would never become one. All with bullying, pranks, and sabotaging her equipment, the boys had almost succeeded in scaring her off. But with her tremendous determination, and a few good friends, she managed to make it through the first few years of a Page. Now she was a squire, but it seemed that no one in Tortall would want her, "the Girl", as their squire. The only woman knight in Tortall, Alanna of Pirate's Swoop, didn't want her, and who else was there? 

She wished that she hadn't sent Lalassa to the marketplace, for now she didn't have anyone to confide in. She picked up her practice glaive and resumed her pattern dance again. 

~*~*~

Alanna of Pirate's Swoop banged her fist on the wooden table in front of her with a yell. "It's not fair! I can't become her master, or the entire court will think I used my magic or something to help her become a knight! And nobody in Tortall wants "the Girl" for a squire either!" she complained to her husband, George. 

"There's not much you can do about that, I'm afraid," he said in his lilting commoner's accent. "So what are you going to do? Spend the next four years away again? And the next eight again, when a new girl comes along? You can't stay away forever. That is, unless you want to discard your title as King's Champion and move to Carthak." 

"I've picked a squire," she growled. "Duke Baird's son." 

George was shocked. "Really?" he asked in amazement. "He's supposed to be one of the oldest boys ever to train as a knight. Isn't he about twenty now?" he mused thoughtfully. 

"Yes," Alanna said grudgingly. "He trained as a scholar for a few years first. He has some healing magic, too, like his father." 

"Ahhh. I get it now," George said knowingly. 

"But who will pick Keladry now? I don't know of anyone in Tortall who would." she cried unhappily. 

"Well, someone may just surprise you." George stated secretly. 

~*~*~

"I've actually been thinking about it." Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak admitted. "But I'd like to see a bit more first. She's a good warrior, though, that's for sure. Terrific at Jousting and staff work, at least, and I think in other areas too. And she's quiet. I don't get along well with noisy, temperamental people." 

George nodded, smiling. "I hope you do, for Alanna's sake. She's still mad at Jon, and if the girl doesn't finish because no one picked her she'd probably move to Carthak, or something." 

Raoul nodded seriously. "I know." 

~*~*~

Kel pulled on a yellow dress and smoothed her hair after a day of practicing. It was time for dinner. She opened the shutters of the larger, lower window in her room. She climbed out and brushed her legs off, before heading for the eating hall. Kel always left that way, ever since the boys began leaving pranks in front of her door to make her late. 

As she stepped into the food line, she noticed all of her friends congratulating Neal, and then starting to stare at something she couldn't see. When she walked over to the table, she nodded at all of them and began to eat. After a few minutes of jostling and munching, she queried, "So. What were you all staring at a few minutes ago?" 

Seaver of Tasride nodded at a table behind them. "See that guest on the right side? She's a beauty! No one knows who she is." 

Kel squinted at the table, before widening her eyes and lifting her tray. "Gotta go, boys. See you later." she declared quickly, before hurrying off to the other table. The boys watched her in surprise. 

Kel rushed forward to the table where the guest was sitting. If she wasn't mistaken, it was her sister, Oranie of Mindelan. It was! "Oranie! Oranie! Hi!" she called as she rushed up and gave her pretty sister a hug. 

"What? Who? Oh, Kel, it's you! How are you?" Oranie asked with a smile. 

"Oh, I'm alright. What are you doing here?" 

"I wanted to spend a few days here because I have to go home for a bit, but I didn't want to stay at the summer house all by myself. And no one is free to take me home yet. 

"Wonderful! Oh, I'm so glad to see you! How's everyone at home?" 

"Oh, they're all fine. Conal is coming up for a bit, though, next week. He may choose a squire. 

Kel froze. Conal? Conal of Mindelan was one of Kel's older brothers, but he had bullied her when she was younger, and she wasn't particularly looking forward to seeing him again. And she didn't want any of her friends to end up with him as their master! 

"Is everything okay, Kel? I know that you two don't seem to get along well." Oranie was asking. 

"Oh! I'm, uh, fine. I was just, uh, thinking." 

"I was just wondering if you were free, if you wanted to come to my room and gossip for a bit before you go to bed or whatever." 

"Oh sure!" Kel said amiably. "But let's just introduce you to my friends first, okay?" 

"Sure." Oranie smiled good-naturedly, as Kel led her over to the table where her friends were sitting. All the boys were staring at Kel in astonishment. 

"Guys, I want you to meet my sister, Oranie of Mindelan." Oranie curtseyed beautifully. "Oranie, this is Seaver, Merric, Neal, and Esmond. These are a few of my friends." The boys sat there dumbstruck. "Okay, good-bye now. I'll see you later, guys, but I'm going to Oranie's room for a while." She said pleasantly as they walked off. 

~*~*~

Several days later, Kel was waving good-bye to Oranie and seeing her off when Neal came to talk to her. "Look, Kel. Have you been avoiding me? Because I just want to tell you, it isn't my fault, and if you think it is than I can see why no one would want you as a squire! You are being completely pointless and stupid! There's nothing you can do!" he yelled. 

Kel was getting angrier and angrier, but she was trying to follow Yamani custom and keep her face as still as stone. "I'm sorry you feel that way," she said calmly, before striding off with her head high towards her room. 

When she reached it, she slammed the door shut and angrily paced her chambers. If that was the way he felt about her, than he would have no obligations to talk to her in the future. She wished there were some way that she could get away from him completely, but there was obviously no way that she could leave the palace. Unless...No, there was no way she could even think about that. No one wanted her for a squire, and she wasn't about to quit now! 

However...She noticed she still had an hour left before dinner, so she saddled up her gelding, Peachblossom, and headed out for a ride. She thought it over, and decided that she should continue her training, and just avoid Neal at all costs. She wondered how she would get around the problem at dinner. 

When Kel returned to the palace, she put Peachblossom away and headed to her room to change for dinner. As she approached, she heard a buzz of conversation coming from all of the squires. It sounded like there was a knight there interested in looking at them. She glanced around the room and felt her mouth go dry and her breath go short as her eyes rested on one person. 

She gazed at him, frozen in fear, and his eyes lifted and met his for just a short moment. But she recognized what she saw in those eyes. They were dark and threatening, warning her not to tell anyone what she knew, and telling her that he had the ammo to crush her at any moment. When she could finally look away, she turned and fled out of the room. She fled to the stables, to Peachblossom's stall, and threw her arms around his neck. 

"Oh Peachblossom!" she cried softly. "I was so scared when I saw him! He can't be here! He just can't! But it was him, I know it was! It was my brother, Conal of Mindelan!" and she fell asleep, clutching at his neck and burying her face in his mane. 

~*~*~

Neal was worried. He felt really bad about what he had said to Kel earlier, and he had thought something was wrong earlier when she walked into the dining hall and left right away, without even eating. And now she wasn't in her room, either. Where was she? 

~*~*~

When Kel awoke in the middle of the night, she sneaked back to her room, for she knew that Lalassa would be worried. However, she heard soft footsteps echoing in the corridors, heading towards her. She turned a corner and ran right into a tall man. She stared at his boots, before moving her head upward and dreading every inch. She knew who it would be. Yes, it was Conal. 

Conal glared at her and grabbed her arm. "I've been looking for you," he growled. "Come with me." 

Kel gulped and nodded, taking two steps to match every one of his. When he reached the guest quarters where he was saying, he halted, and pulled her inside. "Now," he began in a sinister voice. 

"I don't know what kind of lies you're planning to tell about me, but whatever they are, don't. Don't you ever tell anyone anything about me, or else. Do we understand each other?" he asked angrily. Kel nodded fervently. "Good!" he snarled, and pushed her out the door. "If you ever get in my way, you will be extremely sorry!" Kel was shivering in terror as she ran all the way back to her rooms. She let herself in quickly, before collapsing onto her bed and falling into a troubled sleep. 

The next morning, she told the whole story to Lalassa, whose eyes were opened wide with alarm. "Oh, miss! I'm terrified for you!" she wailed. Kel smiled shakily, before patting Lalassa kindly on the arm and saying, "Don't worry, Lalassa. I'm sure I'll be fine." 

~*~*~

Over the next few days, Kel's friends noticed that she was nervous and jumpy. However, they were too much caught up in the competition of the squires to take much notice. One evening, Kel was walking back to her room after dinner, when strong hands caught her shoulders and dragged her into an empty room. It was Conal. 

"What were you thinking, telling your maid? Now half of all the servants know something, and they might talk to one of the masters, and then where would I be? I think you deserve some punishment for your insolence!" He cried angrily before giving her a harsh beating. She stumbled back to her room, afterwards, thankful that no one was around to see her. But someone saw, and was worried. 

~*~*~

Neal saw Kel stumble into her rooms, and he wondered if something was amiss. He knocked softly on her door, and when Lalassa answered he pushed past her and into the room. "Is Kel alright? She didn't look so well when I saw her last." 

Lalassa nervously shook her head, and after a moment of hesitation pointed towards her bedchamber. "I don't think so...Go ahead and see for yourself." 

Neal quickly strode into the room, and he saw Kel as a bloody, dirty mess. "What happened?" he asked in shock. She gazed towards him and her eyes widened, but she didn't answer. "We'd better get you cleaned up." he suggested. "I'll let Lalassa do that, though." 

Neal called the maid and asked her to help Kel out of her uniform and clean her up a bit. He told her to call him when she was done. A few minutes later, Neal examined Kel and helped to heal her a little, before sending her to bed and heading towards his rooms. He was exhausted. 

However, the next morning when he pressed her for details, she closed up and wouldn't tell him anything. And he didn't see anyone else in the palace with wounds, either. Who was it, then? 

~*~*~

Several times over the next few weeks, Kel was thrashed many times more, but after the second time she was more careful not to get caught sneaking back, so none of her friends ever knew. And if any of them saw her new bruises every day, they were careful to keep it to themselves. 

Finally, Neal couldn't take it anymore. He stormed over to her room, pounded on the door, and pushed past Lalassa to Kel's room. "Kel! I can't take it anymore. I've seen you suffering and hurt almost every day for the last two weeks, but you won't tell me who it was. Now I'm insisting! Who is it that's hurting you!" 

Kel looked up in surprise, and sighed loudly. "I can't tell you. He-he-he would kill me!" she stuttered. 

Neal knelt by her, and gently squeezed her shoulder in support. "Please tell me. I just want to help you, and if you tell me I promise he'll never hurt you again." 

Kel stared into his eyes, considering for a long moment. "All right." she sighed mournfully. "It-it-it's Conal. My brother," she informed him quietly. "He always was a bully at home. And now he thinks I'm going to tell everyone and ruin his reputation, so he's, uh, hurting me to keep me quiet. It was his fault, you know, that I'm afraid of heights. He held me by my ankles when I was four off the highest balcony at Mindelan. And he doesn't even remember." 

Neal was staring at her in astonishment. "C-C-Conal of Mindelan? But he's a hero, and a full knight!" he cried angrily. 

"I know." Kel whispered in a forlorn voice. 

~*~*~

Neal strode purposefully through the corridors through the palace. He stopped when he reached the room marked with Sir Conal's name and title. He knocked determinedly on the door, and it slowly opened to reveal tall, dark Conal of Mindelan. "Yes. What do you want?" he said curtly. 

"I must talk with you," Neal insisted. "It's about a friend of mine- Keladry of Mindelan." he supplied coolly. An expression of fury crossed Conal's features, which was quickly replaced with a fake smile. "Come on in." Conal offered through gritted teeth. 

"If you must know, I don't have a very friendly relationship with my sister." Conal stated, spitting out the last word as though it were poison. 

"Perhaps. Although that doesn't seem like a very good reason to abuse her in any way." Neal stated coldly. 

Conal paused for a moment. "I don't, what was the word you used, abuse, my sister." he whispered furiously. 

"I have it straight from her own lips." Neal argued fervently. 

"So. The little wench squealed. What do you want from me then?" 

"You to stop hurting her and leave the palace, without taking anyone as a squire. Or else..." here he paused. 

"Or else you what?" Conal asked mockingly. 

"Or else I tell the whole court what you're doing. You wouldn't want your untainted reputation ruined, would you?" 

"Don't bite off more than you can chew, boy. You might choke. I'll consider it. Leave my chambers at once." Conal ordered fiercely. 

Neal glared at him for a moment, before shrugging and heading out into the hall. "As you like it." 

~*~*~

The next day, Sir Conal of Mindelan had "sudden obligations" and had to return to his home to see to some urgent matters. And Nealan of Queenscove rode off with his new master, Sir Alanna of Pirate's Swoop. And Kel, as always, started practicing her staff work. At a sudden knock on the door, she sighed and dropped her practice glaive. She headed towards the door, grumbling angrily about the effort it took to answer the door herself, since she had special locks on her door to insure that the boys didn't get in and trash her room. 

Kel opened the door to reveal Lord Raoul. Her mouth dropped open in surprise, before she gave a hurried bow and gestured for him to come inside. "Sir," she gasped out. Raoul smiled, and stepped across the threshold into the room. He accepted the offered seat. "Were you working on staff work?" he queried, nodding towards her glaive. 

Kel swallowed. "Y-yes sir, I was." 

"May I see something of it?" 

"Certainly, sir." Kel answered, as she began some of her moves again. She executed them perfectly, and he applauded when she had finished. 

"That was very well done, Keladry. Are you that good at all of the warrior arts?" 

"Well, I learned a lot when I lived in the Yamani Isles...I must admit, I'm not too bad." she shrugged sheepishly. 

"Well, I didn't come to discuss your abilities. I was wondering...Keladry of Mindelan, would you like to become my squire?" he asked in a rush. 

Kel blinked in surprise. "WHAT? Did someone ask you to ask me? Do you really want me for your squire? Why?" she asked all in a rush. 

Lord Raoul smiled amusedly at her. "Of course I want you to be my squire. Nobody asked me to. You're one of the finest, if not the finest, squire of your year, and people should be breaking down your door to make you their squire. So, what do you say?" 

Kel stared at him in shock. "Wh-what do I say? I say yes, of course!" she whooped joyfully. "Thank you so much. I don't know how to express my gratitude." she stated quietly. 

"By being an excellent squire. And doing all my chores for me as commander of the King's Own. Just kidding." Raoul supplied, eyes twinkling. 

"Y-yes sir! I can be ready in a few days..." 

"No rush, Keladry, I assure you." 

"Please call me Kel. Everyone else does." 

"Sure, Kel. I'll be by again in a few days." He smiled at her, rose and shook her hand, before striding out of the room. 

She strolled out into the hallway behind him, and when he was out of sight, she yelled, "Yes!" 

~*~*~

The End


End file.
